1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a method of driving a liquid crystal lens, a liquid crystal lens module for performing the method and a display apparatus having the liquid crystal lens module, and, more particularly, to a method of driving a liquid crystal lens for displaying a two-dimensional (“2D”) image and a three-dimensional (“3D”) stereoscopic image, a liquid crystal lens module for performing the method and a display apparatus having the liquid crystal lens module.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A typical liquid crystal display (“LCD”) apparatus displays a 2D image. Recently, with the increasing demand for displaying a 3D stereoscopic image in the video game and movie industries, an LCD apparatus has been developed to display 3D stereoscopic images.
The LCD apparatus typically displays the 3D stereoscopic image using a binocular parallax between the two eyes of a human being. For example, since the two eyes of the human being are spaced apart from each other, images viewed at different angles are inputted to the brain. The brain then mixes the images so that an observer may recognize the stereoscopic image.
The LCD apparatus displaying the 3D stereoscopic image may be divided into a stereoscopic type and an auto-stereoscopic type based upon wearing extra eyeglasses or not. The stereoscopic type may include anaglyph and shutter type glasses, and the like. The autostereoscopic type may include barrier, lenticular, and liquid crystal lens types, and the like.
In the liquid crystal lens type device, light is refracted by the liquid crystal lens using a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate having a lens electrode, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates. When a voltage is applied to the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal panel, the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer is changed. By changing the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules, the liquid crystal panel can function as a liquid crystal lens.
As the size of the liquid crystal lens increases, the response time of the lens electrode and the common electrode is delayed, and the coupling capacitance between the lens electrode and the common electrode is increased. In addition, the driving current applied to the lens electrode is increased.